Therese of Lisieux

The feast day of St. Therese, the "Little Flower", is October 1st (this Friday). A movie on her life is being released on the eve of her feast day. It is only opening in a few select cities, and depending on the response will hopefully enjoy a wider release. The official website of the movie is at http://www.theresemovie.com/, please take a moment to visit.
St. Therese was a Carmelite mystic who was largely recognized after the publication of her autobiography (entitled "The Story of a Soul") a few years after her death. St. Therese has become more recognized in recent years since being declared a Doctor of the Church in 1997. There are 33 Doctors of the Church, and St. Therese is one of the three women Doctors and one of three Carmelite Doctors comprising that list. She died on September 30, 1897 at the age of 24 after a long bout with tuberculosis.
Being declared a Doctor of the Church is a rare honor. Usually, it happens to a person who shows eminent holiness and a type of spirituality that is exceptional. The Pope proclaims such a person because of overwhelming support by the entire church. This saintly person has a powerful message, example and contribution that will benefit all the church members throughout all of time. For that reason the Holy Father wants the whole church to know about this "extra-ordinary" and extraordinary person and proclaims the individual "Doctor" of the Church. Probably the most well known of all the Doctors of the Church is St. Thomas Aquinas, the "Angelic Doctor".
I have not yet read her autobiography, but it is on my Palm Pilot and I am going to try to read it this week. Since I'm not really well read on her life and times, further comment would be but a story without a soul. If the movie happens to be released close to you in the near future, consider going to see it.